Sinn Fein to show police 'attack' on councillor

Sinn Fein was today preparing to release video footage which the party claims shows police attacking one of its councillors and supporters during rioting in north Belfast.

Gerard Brophy, a representative for the city’s Oldpark ward, and a number of others were allegedly assaulted by officers called to sectarian fighting at the weekend.

Trouble erupted between rival nationalist and loyalist mobs in the North Queen Street area on Saturday.

Police had come under attack from nationalists after moving in to separate the gangs, with nine officers and a soldier injured.

But Sinn Fein has accused riot police of targeting Catholics’ homes during the violence.

Party president Gerry Adams claimed the incident will further alienate nationalists and republicans from joining Northern Ireland’s police service, despite the reforms brought in under the Patten proposals.

He said: ‘‘Does anyone think that any (Catholic) youngsters here have any desire to make a career out of policing?’’

A police spokesman said officers chased a man they allege injured a soldier with a breeze-block.

The man was pursued into a house in North Queen Street in a bid to arrest him but police were forced to withdraw after being attacked, he added.